Abstract

Effective antibacterial therapy in many acute and all chronic or recurrent urinary infections requires identification of the infecting bacteria by smear or culture. Since bacteria are often present in the absence of infection, however, quantitative culture is being used increasingly to distinguish urinary tract infection from contamination. It is also recommended as a screening measure in pregnancy, diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disease, and other conditions in which asymptomatic urinary infection is a special danger.